It’s pretty standard for leaders or aspiring leaders to strive for improvement. Leadership is a skill that many may not have initially anticipated needing. Often, individuals are hired with the primary goal of being effective contributors to their organizations. Over time, some distinguish themselves and are offered new roles. Despite lacking formal training, they naturally step into these leadership positions.
Suddenly, you find yourself in a formal leadership role, meaning you hold organizational power over one or more individuals. If tasks aren’t completed, you are accountable. You’ve transitioned from doing the job to ensuring it gets done, and you might often think, “This would be easier if I just did it myself.”
This sentiment is a trap. Insisting on doing everything yourself hinders everyone’s progress. More critically, it significantly impedes those who fall short of your exacting standards, stunting their growth.
When these feelings hit, it is natural to seek the sage advice of a Google search. We question how to be a ‘good’ leader and follow the advice accordingly—or not.
The search engine excels at providing basic information on becoming a good leader. It offers numerous articles, tips, and leadership skills and qualities guidelines. However, much of this advice is ineffective from the start. Many of these resources lack depth and fail to address the complexities and nuances of real-world leadership situations. Why is that?
The answer, when deconstructed, is surprisingly straightforward. When you search for tips on becoming a good leader, you are operating under the assumption that certain qualities within you can drive your team’s success. You believe that by altering specific traits, productivity will soar, and the inevitable personality conflicts in the workplace will vanish.
This is false.
Unfortunately, search engines are only as effective as the queries they receive. The results may not always benefit the entire team when you Google topics centered on yourself. This is because search engines prioritize delivering personalized results based on the input provided, which can lead to a narrow perspective. To achieve well-rounded insights that benefit everyone, it’s essential to craft broader queries that consider the needs and interests of the whole team.
Leadership is much easier. It hinges on starting with the right question.
The question isn’t about how to become a better leader; it’s about how to impact your team members’ lives positively. Leadership becomes much easier to understand and embrace when viewed through this lens.
Leadership becomes a function of knowing your team individually and balancing their workstyles to match their preferred engagement method.
When I meet with Larry from accounting, I need to ask the questions that uncover what makes him unique. What does Larry ‘do,’ not for money, but how does he spend his ‘free’ time? How many children does he have? Is he currently worried about anything? What is his preferred style of engagement? Does he favor frequent meetings or working in solitude? Does he prefer leading projects or supporting as a second-in-command? Does Larry feel valued within the organization? Does he see himself as a mere cog in the wheel, or does he feel a true sense of belonging? If he feels like another cog, do I know how to make him feel valued, respected, and, most importantly, indispensable to the organization?
Effective leadership hinges less on self-development and more on prioritizing your team. Every outcome is a direct reflection of your team’s performance.
Leadership does not work when we focus inward. If we want to be effective, we must look to improve the lives of our teams at the individual level. This means understanding their unique strengths and challenges, providing the necessary resources for growth, and fostering an environment where everyone feels valued and supported. Authentic leadership is about being attuned to the needs of others and making decisions that benefit the collective rather than just oneself.
Simply put, leadership must be centered around the concept that we are all Human First. We all have things that stress us out. We all have things we love. We all have things that motivate us. The beauty is that none of us are identical. Each person must be treated with the care they deserve.